Canadian citizen living in US since infancy, entitled to health care services? How to start?My friend was born in Canada and has dual citizenship in the US and Canada. She has lived here exclusively for about 15 years. She has recently discovered that she has a tumor on her pituitary gland that is (very unusually severe) threatening her vision if not her life. She has no health insurance in the US. Despite not being a resident of Canada can she receive their health care benefits? Doe's anyone know how to go about this? We would be immensely appreciative if anyone had any advice!
Posted by D.Knows
I'm sorry about your friend's health problem. If I understand the law correctly, it isn't enough for your friend to be a Canadian citizen. She would need to be resident there and apply for a health insurance card in the province she resides in. Apparently, some provinces charge premiums for health insurance, while others do not. And, some provinces have a 3 month waiting period before the health insurance is applicable. The 1st link below is the Canadian government's health care web site.
Failing that, another option would be treatment in Mexico. I've read a number of articles about Americans going to Mexico for treatment because it's cheaper than America, even with health insurance. The staff speak English and are well qualified (many having trained in the US). If that's of interest, there are organizations that specialize in "medical tourism" (use Google). Your friend could also discuss this with her doctor as another option, if treatment in Canada doesn't work out. Good luck.
Posted by thinkingtime
Your friend would have to move completely to Canada.
Once she arrives she must establish residence, rent a home, register for tax and benefits purposes and apply for a heath card.
Then she may have to wait out several months, depending on the province to become insured. Then she will need a referral from a family doctor.
Just a thought, Canadian specialists may not be keen to let her jump in for treatment ahead of local residents who have gone through the system.
Here's a contact for Ontario:
Call the ministry INFOline at 1-866-532-3161
(Toll-free in Ontario only)
TTY 1-800-387-5559
Hours of operation : 8:30am - 5:00pm
E-mail : infoline@moh.gov.on.ca
Posted by Sidwell
To get Canadian health care she MUST move back to Canada to LIVE. BC and Ontario have a mandatory 3 months waiting period before health coverage starts, the other provinces start you immediately, BUT you MUST show that you DO live in Canada and that you have a canadian address.
Otherwise if she stays in USA then NO she is NOT eligible for canadian health benefits.
Posted by Leon
She definitely needs to move. I know for a fact that AB gives you coverage from day one if you move from another country. Proving that you live in AB may be as easy as opening a bank account and getting a letter from the bank stating you gave them an address in AB. I know some people who did exactly that. With other provinces, it depends on their healthcare. Your friend would have to google the health care of the province she wants to move, phone them and find out the details.
It would also be possible for her to "move to" one of the provinces that gives you coverage right away, get the coverage and then move to another province where she can get better treatment, has family or is in any way better for her. A health card from a Canadian province is valid in any other province for the first 3 months after you move and after that, the new province takes over.
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